For Old Time's Sake

The NBA is quickly evolving into a one-on-one playground game; but the Boston Celtics beg to differ. Boston, who's average age of 27 hardly speaks to the age and experience of their core players, is playing more like a forty and over recreation team than today's traditional NBA squad. Old stars like Ray Allen, Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett, Rasheed Wallace, and Michael Finley, humbled and taking pay cuts to get rings that seem elusive as primes come and go. Well these stars are reliving their primes, through each other. Spurred by young faces like Rajon Rondo, Kendrick Perkins and Glen Davis, Boston refuses to compromise as the rest of the league leaves the "old school" tactics of basketball behind. Princeton offense, give and go, pick and roll, mere punch lines amidst offensive schemes that come down to one man up against another; not five on five. That's Boston's niche, their bread and butter; they make you beat all five of them, not just one, which has them riding a lifetime's worth of NBA experience into basketball's June Classic.

So when I say that Boston looks more like a team you could find in a forty and over league at your local park, it is far from an insult. The Celts, who's majority of players cannot run, leap, or virtually stick with their opponents are resorting to playing the game like a team. Isn't it funny how they are "resorting" to a winning formula? Between Finley, Garnett, Pierce, Allen, and Wallace there is 39 All-Star appearances and 66 seasons of NBA basketball. Run down? Absolutely not. Wise? Absolutely. Although their bodies may be far from where they were seven years ago, their basketball minds have only grown stronger which reflects on the young Celtics as well. Rajon Rondo, who broke out in the Division Series against the Cavs, is one of the few things young about the Celtics. However, his hard work ethic, and knack for sharing and selective scoring has him fitting right on in with the rest of the bunch. Rondo is no geezer, but he feeds off the foundation that the veterans in Boston have laid down; they play the game the "right" way.

Boston was demoted to a four seed when a slow season had them placed behind the Cavs, Magic, and Hawks. The beasts of the east? Orlando and Cleveland. Boston was plagued with minor injuries all season, and never really found their rhythm until playoff time. Since, they have not only taken care of Cleveland but Orlando as well. How? A balanced attack. In Cleveland, there was one thing to do, slow down Lebron. When Boston did that, Cavs' fans were forced to watch Lebron take off his number 23 jersey for what could have been the last time. While Orlando provided more than just one threat, there was one above all else; Dwight Howard. Kendrick Perkins, Kevin Garnett, and Rasheed Wallace all teamed up to dog Howard for six straight games, making him work for every point and rebound, and holding him to a miniscule seven points in a 94-71 game three rout. Now as Boston awaits their next opponent, whether it be the rival LA Lakers or the run and gun Phoenix Suns; the game plan remains the same. Shut down their power source and don't let them get to yours. The Celtics never let anyone cut down their source of energy because that would be impossible; there isn't one. The Celtics bounce off each other, passing, dribbling, and shooting as one. To stop their best player would take a psychic; it's different every night. Who will lead the team next? Not even they could tell you, so good luck trying to figure it out.

JD